Tana

Antananarivo known locally as "Tana" maybe the Malagasy have trouble pronouncing their long names too!

Would you like an Internet connection with that tire change?
The future of the Church in Madagascar.

Our chapels maybe the nicest buildings in the country!!

So, Is a Washing Machine a Neccessity?

A mystery of the ages! How can clothes get clean and especially shirts get white in muddy water? And further, how do they stay clean if you lay them out to dry on a mud bank?

Lemurs of Madagascar

Lemurs survive only on the island of Madagascar off the southeast coast of Africa in the Indian Ocean, and on the neighboring Comoros islands. The various species of lemurs can be found in habitats as different as the lush, wet, rainforest of eastern Madagascar and the very dry spiny desert in the southwest.
Physical Description Lemurs are primates. The species living today are small to medium-size mammals ranging from the smallest of all primates, the tiny pygmy mouse lemur (Microcebus myoxinus), which weighs only 30 grams (1 ounce), to the largest lemurs, the indri (Indri indri) and the diademed sifaka (Propithecus diadema diadema), which weigh slightly over 7 kg (15 pounds) and can reach 4 feet (1.2 m) tall.
Lemurs like all, primates have binocular vision and grasping hands. However, unlike most other primates, lemurs and other prosimians have a rhinarium, a moist, very sensitive nose.
With the exception of the indri, lemurs have long furry tails. They use these tails for balance when leaping through the forest canopy, but unlike some New World monkeys, these tails are not prehensile, and lemurs cannot hang from them.

Some Madagascar Laughs

Madagascar City Scenes

A "deux chevaux" common in France in the 1950's now retired to Madagascar to become taxis. Easy to fix with "baling wire and chewing gum"!


Need to get your haircut? Looks like there's no waiting in some of these shops!

So you think traffic is a problem where you live!

Madagascar Market Scenes

Why do you sit with the chickens? Because there is no where else?

Dried fish and fish parts I think. Sorry you can't see the flies well in the picture.
Native handicrafts and Jan and Sister Gaya Madagascar Mission President's wife. don't worry Jan contributed to the economy by buying several of these, that you just have to have!!

Our Next Trip-Madagascar

Tomorrow dad and I leave for Madagascar to do some audit training and perhaps see some sights. We are looking forward to it but are told it is even poorer than the Congo, hard to believe. We will let you judge for yourselves. We were also told to be very careful what we eat and drink, duh! After the little bug that traveled home with me from the Congo I'm not sure I want to eat or drink anything.

We found out that Rodwell will be going home on the 30th. of November, we will be in the Congo at that time and will miss his farewell. This little angel is very special and holds a place in dad's and my heart. We have seen him through the whole process and have fallen in love with he and his mother. I don't want to think of the conditions he will be returning home to but I do know that the Lord has a plan for this fragile little soul.

He is doing very well and laughs and plays with me and kids with me now, before he was so weak he could hardly smile. His progress has been a real miracle, they do happen every day, sometimes we just don't recognize them.

We must leave you now for our journey so keep well all of you and know that we love you.

Mom and Dad, Grandpa and Grandma and Jan and Bob

Kinshasa Street Scenes

Main Street on a Sunday afternoon.

Kinshasa Mission Offices and Mission Home

Nicest building in town.

Yep! those are bullet holes from the election revolution and disturbances of about 6 months ago. From these offices the mission president and staff had to be rescued by a UN military tank.

Drinking Water in the Congo

The only safe drinking water . No public drinking fountains so filtered water is at a premium.

I'm not so confident in water sold in a baggie!!! This is apparently a major problem in this area with unscrupulous vendors who sell water that is not really safe for drinking.

Stake conference Video

More Scenes from Ngaliema Stake Conference

Richard Eyasu Membership and Statistical Records Director for the Congo Area Office.
Saturday before everyone arrived.
Stake Centre

Our training session

Views From the Congo

Black mold everywhere - view from our hotel window.

View from the Stake Center parking lot, looking towards the Congo River.

Jan giving one of her "famous" - you're getting ready to go on a mission, aren't you? lectures. She's doing it in French no less - I'm really proud of her efforts to communicate in French. The French isn't perfect but the love and the spirit to spirit communication works every time.

Richard on the left ( a Church employee in Kinshasa) and his three lovely sisters. We also have a picture of his mom and dad. Handsome people all.

A young returned missionary and his finacee.
More lecture time! and a very willing audience. (Notice the finger emphasis - this is serious!!)
Going home after conference. ("Sardines" some how comes to mind!)

And now time for our little lunch break!!

(More to follow)